Hawaii could get an influx of $469.7 million for military construction and infrastructure investment as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
The bill, which includes $22.4 million for waterfront improvements for SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 and requires planning for repairs to the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, was passed by the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning after a nearly 19-hour congressional hearing.
The bill also requires the president to provide an overall strategy for U.S. interests in the region, and states that an Indo-Asia-Pacific strategy must be included as a separate part of the executive budget.
It also requires the secretary of defense to report on a program to eradicate the coconut rhinoceros beetle, an invasive species that can cause millions of dollars in property damage. The beetle was introduced to Hawaii through military shipments from Guam, according to a news release from Hawaii’s congressional delegation.
The proposal "will provide Hawaii with the necessary resources we need to upgrade our aging infrastructure, protect Hawaii’s environment and bolster our economy," U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, D-Hawaii, said in a news release.
"There’s so much happening in the Asia-Pacific region," U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said in an interview. "There has been quite a bit of focus both on the economic opportunity and also seeing how collectively we can ensure that there is stability in the region.
"As we understand and recognize that there are other hot spots occurring around the world, we want to make sure that as we address those other issues, we don’t lose focus on what must continue to occur in the Asia-Pacific region," Gabbard said.
According to the two lawmakers, the bill would authorize money for the following Hawaii projects:
» $30.6 million for power grid upgrades at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai
» $228.7 million for projects at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, including airfield lighting modernization, housing and support facilities
» $60.9 million for projects at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, including an F-22 fighter alert facility and welding school shop consolidation
» $107.6 million for projects at Schofield Barracks, including the construction of behavioral health and dental clinic facilities
» $19.5 million for energy conservation upgrades at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Pearl Harbor-Hickam
The U.S. Special Operations Command said in 2012 that new waterfront operations facilities were needed in Hawaii to support additional SEALs, divers and technicians with increased operations, planning, training and support space.
A provision in the bill would require an infrastructure plan to make improvements to the Red Hill Underground Fuel Facility. The Navy is conducting an engineering assessment to determine the best solutions for the repair of the storage tanks to ensure long-term integrity and environmental compliance, Takai and Gabbard said.
"This provision requires the Defense Logistics Agency to present a plan to proceed with efforts to recapitalize the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility as quickly as possible," the lawmakers said.
In December the state, in a draft report, recommended the installation of "tank-within-a-tank" secondary containment and leak detection at Red Hill after the Navy on Jan. 13, 2014, reported a 27,000-gallon leak of jet fuel at the facility.
The bill provides an additional $15 million to begin designing a critical upgrade to the Barking Sands Tactical Underwater Range, the largest underwater instrumented range in the world, Takai and Gabbard said.
The range provides underwater tracking and communication for an area of approximately 100 square nautical miles, according to the Navy. The current underwater range system is beyond its 20-year design life, and the funding would help ensure the Pacific Missile Range Facility will continue to provide unparalleled training, the lawmakers said.
In March 2014 more than half of the $449.5 million in projected military construction for Hawaii was axed as part of Pentagon budget cuts, including many of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii projects.
The Associated Press and Star-Advertiser reporter William Cole contributed to this report.
